


Come One, Come All

by smeeshii



Category: Until Dawn (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Circus, Animal cruelty (sorry guys), Canon Relationships, Mentions of Hannah and Beth, Period-Typical Sexism, Racist language (sorry again), Slow Burn, Wendigoism is more of a deformity here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-05-17
Packaged: 2018-06-04 22:49:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6678463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smeeshii/pseuds/smeeshii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(The circus AU no one asked for)</p><p>In 1917, Washington's Family Circus is a growing show drawing crowds in towns and small cities across the United States. <br/>The circus takes on a new tamer, one who supposedly works without whips or chains. She quickly learns that the horrid conditions of the animals isn't the only deep problem running through the company and is determined to sort it, against the advice of the resident freak, the Dragon Man.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Contract

**Author's Note:**

> So, I want to make it clear that I'm not a fan of real circuses. A lot of bad things go on in them, particularly to do with animals. While I don't approve of it, I will be using it in this story. It's important to keeping some of this realistic.  
> I'll also be using racist language here (something else I don't condone), and if I decide to use anything further, I'll put a tag on this. Again, it's sort of essential to keeping this semi-realistic. In 1917, a good portion of people weren't that progressive, and since we've got both black and Asian characters here, it's going to come up.   
> And again, probably going to be a fair bit of period typical sexism. Don't worry much about our girls here, they strong women.  
> Jees, warnings aside, I'm pretty excited about this one. I've got a fair bit of this mapped out.  
> Hoping you all enjoy!

Two men walked side by side through a quiet street. Few automobiles were out, people making their ways home or to the bars in the late night. A jazz club was alight on one side of the road, music spilling out. The men walked by, the younger of the two flashing a smile at any bird who passed. Their destination wasn't the club or one of the closing shops however, it was a shoddy old building at the end of the street.

The younger man was around twenty years old, handsome and lively. His dark hair was pushed back, face stubbly in a rugged way. He wasn't as well dressed at his companion, but his black jacket and pants appeared to be his best clothes.

The man with him was in his fifties, grey streaking his nearly black hair. He was far more tanned, more angular features and blue-green eyes near menacing. Under his manicured goatee, he had a constant scowl on his lips. His coat was far more expensive, the dark blue material embroidered around the hems with gold and white thread.

"Munroe, you had better be right about this one," the man gruffed.

"I am, this one. She's supposed to be the best around, according to my contact."

"Yes, and how reliable are your contacts usually? Really, a woman taming wild animals..."

"She may be a woman, but they say she can do it without whip or chain."

"I don't care how she does it, just so long as she gets that beast under control. I didn't spend all that on the damn thing just to cage it. I need it to perform."

The two approached the tiny tavern, entering in through the back door. The inside was smokey, smelling of tobacco and stale beer, fer patrons sitting or shuffling about. The lights were few and far between, keeping the place barely lighter than the streets outside. In one corner, an old fiddler with yellowed teeth sucked on a cigar while he played a tune that seemed far too energetic for the place. The man called Munroe stepped ahead, head turning to try and spot the person they came to find. When he caught sight of a tweed duffer cap with a red pin in it, he grinned and ushered the other man to a booth at the back. 

When they got close, the woman lifted her head. She was a pretty girl, who looked to be around nineteen. Wisps of her blond hair fell from under her cap, pushed out of her hazel-green eyes. Freckles dotted her nose and cheeks, the warmth in her skin giving away that she worked outside. She wasn't dressed typically, her grey jacket and dark trousers unusual. For anyone not looking for too much, she would have easily passed as a young man. 

"Samantha Tomkins?" the younger man asked, looking hopeful.

"Yes, Michael Munroe?" she confirmed, standing.

When he nodded, she stood to shake their hands.

"And this is the famous Master Washington?" She turned to shake hands with the older man, eying him warily up and down. 

He nodded and gave her the same treatment before seating himself. Michael sat beside him and she took a seat across the table. Washington folded his hands on the table, continuing to scrutinize the woman before him, mildly surprised when she firmly held his gaze.

"Munroe tells me you're good, very good. He's told me plenty about your experience with other animals, but I can assure you this job isn't the same as training a ruthless dog to sit and roll over. This case is much more dangerous."

"I know all about it. I've dealt with felines before," she said. "And I've got ways to figure this one out."

He huffed out a laugh. "A puma in a zoo is nothing in comparison to this."

"What he means to say," Mike cut in. "Is that Argus is a hard case. He's dangerous. Mr. Washington just wants you to know what you're getting into." 

"He's injured three of the people who've tried to tame him, nearly killed one. I know the risks." 

Narrowing his eyes, Washington reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a long piece of paper. He set it on the table and slid it towards her along with a fountain pen. 

"The choice is yours, Ms. Tomkins. However, as you'll read, we accept no responsibilities concerning your welfare. We wont be held accountable for any injuries or your possible death while you are employed in my show," he said firmly. 

She took the contract he offered and read through it. "And here, it says you'll approve what I need to train him? No matter what?"

Though he didn't look pleased, he nodded. "Yes."

"Good. And if I succeed, will you allow other negotiations concerning other animals?"

"Fine, but when that happens, it will be under separate contracts."

Reading the paper a second time, she nodded and took the pen, signing her name in a neat, slanted scrawl. She slid both back to him and sat back in her seat.

"Excellent," he said, checking her signature. "We'll be performing tomorrow night, come to see the show. I want you to see what sort of people you'll be around, you won't be getting any special treatment compared to them. Then I'll have Munroe or one of the others find you a car in the train. Bring your belongings, the next day we'll be packing up to move and I won't wait."

Mike grinned and stood with the man, taking her hand again. "Welcome aboard."


	2. On with the show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two, significantly longer than the first!  
> I'm sure you'll all recognize the performers ;)  
> Again, not much editing, I've gone back to edit chapter one a bit, I'll do the same here later but I gave it a once over and it seemed okay?  
> I'm sure I'll find something to pick at.  
> Come find me on tumblr! User: neeshiii

Samantha Jane Tomkins had never been a typical girl.

When she'd been born, she hadn't cried. Agnes and Johnathon had been terrified that their baby girl had something wrong with her, she had just blinked at them through blurry eyes and gurgled. She'd been fine, of course, growing up into a healthy child along side her elder brother Henry. 

At six, it was clear that Samantha cared little for dresses or dolls. She played in the mud, played ball with the neighbourhood kids. Her mother had insisted she wore trousers under her skirts when she'd jumped out of a tree to show her that she'd lost one of her front teeth, clutched in a dirty palm. 

By twelve it was clear that she shared in her parents love of animals, helping clean her father's veterinary clinic after school each day. She felt compassion for them, be it a small mouse or a rabid dog. 

At fifteen, a particularly vicious dog had called her father's attention. People had rounded it up outside the clinic, gnashing and spitting. Her father had come out in an attempt to find a way to put it down safely. People had raised guns to it, and had nearly shot it if it had not been for the youngest Tomkins running outside to stop them. By some miracle, she was able to calm the animal down within minutes, even if it did give her arm a rather nasty bite. It was at that age that she'd declared that she wouldn't eat meat ever again.

Samantha did cry at the age of sixteen when both of her parents died one night when an armed man broke into the clinic. Both were shot dead just after they'd closed up shop for the night, the man stealing money from the safe in their office. Samantha and Henry had been out at the grocers to find something to eat for dinner. They'd been the first to walk through the door. 

She cried again when the United States had entered into the war the day before her nineteenth birthday. Her reason to cry had been Henry's choice to enlist. She'd cried again when he'd boarded a train to take him to a port, then overseas. He'd kissed her cheeks and made her promise not to cry for him anymore. That he would send letters when he could.

The next morning, Samantha had begun making plans to run.

Which had landed her where she stood on the carnival grounds. The grass around her was trampled as people walked around to by sweets from vending carts, to see the clowns or the animal cages. A few tents housing games, food or other attractions were laid out too. Music played from somewhere under the massive red and white striped tent at the centre of the commotion. Someone signaled that the show would be starting soon, so she adjusted her duffer cap and picked up the suitcase at her side, then headed into the tent. 

Benches were set in wide circles around the centre ring, light coming only from the support post lamps. People were flooding inside so it took Samantha a few moments to find a seat amid the crowd. It wasn't long before people were seated and the tent flaps were closed. The crowd hushed when a man in a fine red coat and black top hat strolled into the centre of the ring.

“Ladies, gentlemen and children of all aged!” he boomed. “My name is Master Washington, welcome to my circus!”

People cheered and the music coming from a small band in the corner picked up. 

“Are you ready to be astounded? To be amazed and astonished?” They cheered again. “Then let me brig you all of my talents! You'll see dazzling feats of strength and courage, wild people and wilder animals!” He continued on for a few moments more, giving rules to the spectators about garbage and staying in their seats unless otherwise instructed and such. “Without further ado, I bring to you your first act of the night! Our beautiful Russian horses and their even more beautiful riders!”

From the open space and entrance at the other end of the tent, four black horses with jeweled harnesses were rode out by women in flashier outfits. The group preformed a few riding maneuvers before they parted in twos and stood at attention. Another horse, purest white this time, was rode out by a young blond woman in a purple outfit, covered in sparkling sequins. She waved the the crowd before they began to make another move around the ring. Slender and skilled, the girl ended up riding around, balancing on the horse's back on her feet, then just one or the other. Eventually she did what looked like a near impossible flip and landed on her hands, again astounding as she rode around on one and then the other. 

The ringmaster returned when they finished to applause, sending them off. “Aren't they wonderful? And now, turn your eyes up to the sky, ladies and gentlemen!” Two long red ribbons of silk fell from somewhere above. “And enjoy our aerial silk performer!”

The silk wavered and moved as a girl the same age as the one on the white horse tumbled down them in a black, shimmering leotard. Her ginger hair was slicked into a tight bun, skin stark against the cloth and her outfit. She tumbled almost all the way to the ground, making people gasp, before she seemed to move in reverse up them again. The girl moved to gentle music, twirling and spinning up and down the silks like a spider in a red web. A few times she plummeted, only to catch herself again. 

The music began to pick up into another bout, sounding foreboding and dangerous and she scaled the cloth again. From where the horses came out came a chorus of howls. One by one, a pack of six wolves came cantering out, circling the ring before they drew into a tighter circle around the bottoms of the silks. The girl suddenly dropped again and the crowd gasped, the wolves yapping and snapping their jaws below her. 

She stopped about eight feet below them, the second her movement halted, none other than Michael Munroe jumped into the space below her in a dark vest, shirt and pants at the clap of symbols. The girl slithered up the silks again as he was introduced as The Hunter. Whistling and cracking a whip at his side, the wolves circled the other way and obeyed him and he sent them to other corners of the ring. He quickly set up small platforms and commanded them up onto them. 

One by one, they jumped onto the platforms, some standing on their hind or front paws at his order, spinning in circles before they would bound through the centre to the platform across from them and do the command again. He dazzled with other tricks, making them balance balls or jump through rings that he held, some getting smaller and smaller. Eventually they lined up, three on each side of him, and bowed with him to the audience. Then they trotted in a line back through the tent flaps as he grabbed the platforms and equipment.

The ringmaster came out to gauge the happy crowd's mood, awarded with applause. “Now, my friends, allow me to welcome in out Japanese knife thrower and her companion, our sword swallower!” 

Two people came cartwheeling out of flaps, springing out of the move onto their feet, arms raised. One was a thin, Asian girl with short hair and a dress that resembled shimmering snakeskin, a long slit up to her thighs on either side of it. The other was a tall, muscular black man in only pants made of the same material, a leather harness over his chest. A colourful target board was pulled in and cases of shining silver were placed on a stool. The man lifted out a dagger, moving back to stand against the board. As he let it go down his throat, the woman took three more and began to juggle them. The man replaced the sword with a longer one, the woman added another dagger. Eventually he had a long sword down his throat and his arms at his sides. Then the woman threw the daggers one by one around him into the board, close but never cutting. When the man removed the sword, they bowed and left to applause.

A few more acts involving lionesses, tiny dogs, clowns and strongmen went between before Washington returned. 

“Now, my friends, our last act of the night. You all know the legends of King Arthur and his round table. Well, we ourselves have our own Merlin! A wizard of unimaginable power! And for you, he'll be battling our very own, Dragon Man!”


	3. Argus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The show ends and Sam gets to meet her new, furry friend.

The crowd gasped as the lights suddenly dimmed. A metal tub of glowing coals was dragged out into the centre ring. What looked like smoke began to filter into the ring from the doors, the music taking on a jaunty, creepy tone. A man dressed in a purple, hooded robe came from the opening. His face was shadowed and he walked like an old, crippled over person towards the tub. When he stopped, he began to pat his sides in a panic, as if he'd forgotten something, then he suddenly reached into his sleeve and threw something at the fire. 

It flamed up, suddenly coming to life. The more he added, the bigger the blaze became, sprouting high. He threw something else into the fire that turned it green, casting an eerie glow over the ring. There was an ethereal screeching sound from the flaps, a dark shape suddenly scuttling out. It was vaguely human, but it moved like a monkey, jumping onto the support posts and moving around the ring. It dropped on the other side of the fire, straightening up into a man. He reached to his side and lifted a small bottle to his mouth, then grabbed a long poker from the tub of fire and swung around.

Spitting the liquid over the balled end of the poker, flame erupted from it in a wide streak. The light shone over his face, revealing his appearance. He was young and rather handsome, but the left side of his mouth was torn into a gruesome half smile, the teeth behind it filed into points. His eyes were a pale green-blue, skin an ashy olive colour. His hair was dark, slicked back away from his face. He wore no shoes or shirt, upper body covered in patches of painted on blue and grey scales. His legs were only covered in dark, tight pants. 

The crowd gasped, some people jumping up as her blew a second wave of fire. He lifted another instrument, a thick, palm sized flute, to his lips and blew. The screeching roar sounded again through it.

He turned when the man in the purple robe began to advance. The two moved around the ring in almost a dance, the wizard moving with shocking energy while throwing paper pellets that sparked and snapped when they hit the ground, the other man blowing puffs of fire that narrowly missed the first. As they wrapped around, the wizard retrieved another bottle and let a line of black powder fall behind him. The man grabbed another poker and chased him around until both had their backs to the crowd, then he dropped the tip of the poker to the powder and it lit, crackling and sparking in a spiral around them. 

The fire breather blew more flames straight up in wide arks before the sparking powder got to his feet. He jumped backwards away from it, straight over the tub of fire, and disappeared into the smokey entrance. The wizard turned and lowered his hood, revealing himself as a man no older than the other, with short blond hair and glasses. He bowed and the crowd stood to cheer.

When the circle was cleared out, Washington returned with a wide smile. “How was that for entertainment, my good people! Alas, this is the end of our fabulous show, but once night has truly fallen, we will present to you a fireworks show like no other!”

The man disappeared and people began to shuffle out of the tent. Samantha stayed behind in her seat until mostly everyone had filed out into the circus grounds. With the crowd cleared, she could see a person waiting at the other side of the tent where the performers had come and gone. It was the girl who'd ridden the white horse, eagerly bouncing from foot to foot. Taking it as her guide, Samantha picked up her suitcase again and headed over to her. The blond grinned when she approached. 

“Ms. Tomkins?”

“Saman-just Sam,” she corrected herself.

“I'm Jessica, Mr. Washington asked me to help you find a car to stay in,” she explained. “Then I'm to take you to Mike, to meet your new furry friend.”

The girl steered her out through the flaps. Behind the tent was a grassy area with another two smaller tents for supplies and performers between shows. Circus folk went back and forth, talking and cleaning up, attending to the more tame animals or the horses. Sam could recognize some from the show, the sword swallower sitting on a crate with the knife thrower, shining up their blades. She wondered curiously why the woman glared viciously when she saw Jessica, who was either oblivious or pointedly ignoring the look.

“So, are you excited to join the show?” she asked.

“I won't be performing, I'm just here to tame.”

She rolled her eyes and laughed. “That's what you say now, but everyone stays once they start.”

“I may stay a while, once I've got this one under control, I plan on helping with the others.”

“You'll be here a long time then,” Jessica said, grimacing. “Argus isn't the sweetest pussy cat from what I've heard. They don't let anyone around the cage anymore.”

“I heard, he takes a swipe at anyone who comes close,” Sam said, weaving a little less gracefully than her guide between the tents. “My contract doesn't have a deadline on it.”

“Hah, doesn't need one,” she chuckled. “Most people would run before that, most have.”

From behind the tents, they could see a set of train tracks and the treeline. Parked along the visible stretch was the circus train, cars painted up in obnoxiously bright colours with pictures of the most successful acts advertised on them. It was clear that some of them, most of those towards the back, carried animals.

“We don't always sleep in the cars with our pictures on them,” Jessica went on, pointing at one of them with the horse troupe painted on it. “And we don't always stay in the same car, it gets sort of tense if you have to spend long rides with the same people over and over again, you know? Some people do stick together though.”

“I'll watch who does, it might be a while before I figure out who I'd prefer staying with.”

She nodded and pinched her chin in thought, purple clad hip cocked to the side. “I think there may be room in the car with Ashley. She'd quiet, you probably won't even realize she's there most of the time. I'll ask her, but I'm certain we've got a few beds there. Just head straight to that one when you want to settle in.” She pointed to a car a few back from the centre with the small dogs and a clown painted onto it. “Now come on, we'll go find-”

“Already found!” same a familiar voice from behind.

Michael appeared, grinning devilishly. One of the wolves from the show trotted at his side, eyeing the new person suspiciously. Approaching, he snaked a hand along Jessica's side.

“Thought I spotted you coming back here. All set?” he asked.

Jessica smiled back and nodded, bumping his hip with hers. “I think I've got our new tamer a place to stay.”

Sam nodded, giving a polite smile in return. “Thank you for that.”

“You ready to meet your new project?” Mike asked. When she nodded, he stood ready to go. 

“Oh no,” Jessica slipped out of his arm. “You go ahead, no way am I going to see a big furry monster with teeth like that. I'll go talk to Ashley.” She paused, giving him a rather suggestive look. “I'll see you later?”

“You know it,” he purred, letting her go.

Jessica said her goodbyes to Sam, asking her to come find her the next day if she wanted a tour and some introductions to other people. Then she bounced off, back through the space between the tents, Mike's eyes on her backside as she went. It took Sam coughing awkwardly to bring his attention back.

“Right then, let's go meet your new kitty.”

He walked her through the short field up to the train, heading towards the caboose. The animal cars seemed somewhat less cared for, much older that the ones further up. The paint was chipping in some places and some of the screws holding them together looked stripped or rusted. Irritation bubbled in Sam's stomach, wondering how much worse the insides of the cars might be. Once she was able to negotiate with Washington, this would be one of the first things she had looked after. 

They ended up at one of the very last cars, just painted solid red with gold painted into the edges in small swirls. Mike got between it and the car ahead, unlatching the sliding wood door before hoping inside and letting her in. Immediately there was a loud snarl of aggression from the back of the car. The car was dimly lit by the setting sun shining through the slat windows. The car was dusty, boxes piled on either side before a set of bars blocked the rest of it off. Sam wrinkled her nose at the smell, it was clear that the cage hadn't been properly cleaned in a while, smelling of meat and excrement.

Suddenly a massive tawny shape was at the bars with a growl. Wide paws swiped through the bars, the lion's face pressed against them. Argus, aptly named, was bigger than any male lion Sam had seen. Granted, she hadn't been so close to any before. One of his paws was easily bigger than her head, his back coming nearly to her collarbone. His mane was full and dark, but his hide had long whip marks along it, one ear missing a piece of it's tip. 

“Still want the job?” Mike asked over the snarls, keeping close to the door.

“O-Of course I do,” she said, surprised by the waver in her own voice. “I just need to figure him out.”

He gave her a disbelieving look and laughed. “If you think you can.” He looked at the big cat again, pacing and swiping through the bars. “Alright, now that you've seen him, I want to get back out there. Coming?”

She shook he head. “You go, I want to watch him for a bit. I'll lock up the door when I'm done.” When he didn't look so sure, she waved him off. “Go, I'll be fine.”

Though hesitant, he departed and left her with the angry beast. Sam stayed where she stood, not daring to move any closer to the cage just yet. As she'd said, she watched the animal as it walked back and forth. His eyes never left her, mouth hanging and making deep chuffing sounds. Her own gaze drifted to the cage around him, immediately finding issues. It was filthy, though it looked like he'd made one corner his place to sleep, no droppings in it. She could see blood stains on the wooden floor from where he'd eaten last, but she couldn't see a dish for water anywhere. 

She kept watching Argus and he watched her until the car was nearly to dark to see into. Eventually, she backed out of it and closed the door, but not before the lion tried to reach her through the bars again. Jumping back down from the edge of the car, she picked up her suitcase and started for where Jessica had told her she'd be staying.

As Sam passed a break between cars, she heard a heavy thud of something hitting the grass behind her. Turning, she came face to chest with something, looking up into a mouth full of sharp teeth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a while!   
> I wonder who she's bumped into? ;)  
> I want to say a quick thank you to those giving kudos and commenting! I'm happy to see the support!  
> Come join me on tumblr, I'll answer asks or private messages if anyone has questions or wants to chit-chat. User: neeshiii


End file.
